ONUS is Vietnam's largest retail cryptocurrency platform, serving over 7 million users across 20+ countries. Originally launched as VNDC Wallet in March 2020 — a companion app to the VNDC stablecoin — it rebranded to ONUS in October 2021 and expanded into a full-featured crypto exchange offering spot trading, futures, savings products, and its own blockchain infrastructure. For Vietnamese retail investors, ONUS represents the most accessible and locally tailored gateway to the crypto market.
About ONUS
ONUS was founded by Tran Quang Chien and a Vietnamese tech team, initially backed by GIC Group — one of Vietnam's largest technology conglomerates. The platform was built from the ground up to serve Vietnamese retail users who had limited access to global exchanges due to language barriers, fiat on-ramp friction, and regulatory uncertainty.
ONUS has obtained Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licences in multiple European jurisdictions — Czech Republic (licence #19398506), Poland (RDWW-667), and Lithuania (issued by the Financial Crime Investigation Service). These licences allow ONUS to operate legally in those markets while reflecting the company's ambition to expand beyond Vietnam into a global platform.
Key Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 2020 (as VNDC Wallet) |
| Rebranded | October 2021 (to ONUS) |
| Founder | Tran Quang Chien |
| Headquarters | Vietnam (with EU VASP licences) |
| Users | 7 million+ across 20+ countries |
| Trading Pairs | 600+ cryptocurrencies |
| Spot Trading Fees | 0.02% (limit) / 0.04% (market) |
| VASP Licences | Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania |
| Native Assets | VNDC stablecoin, ONUS token |
| Blockchain | ONUS Chain (proprietary Layer 1) |
Key Features
Spot and Futures Trading
ONUS offers both spot trading and futures contracts across 600+ cryptocurrency pairs. The platform covers major assets (BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, BNB) and a wide range of mid-cap and trending tokens including SHIB, PEPE, TON, ARB, and WLD. Spot fees start at 0.02% for limit orders and 0.04% for market orders — competitive with global exchanges such as Binance and OKX.
VNDC Stablecoin Integration
ONUS is the primary platform for using VNDC — Vietnam's VND-pegged stablecoin. Users can deposit Vietnamese Dong, convert to VNDC, and immediately begin earning yield (up to 12% APY), trading crypto pairs, or sending to other ONUS users. This integrated savings-and-trading model is unique to ONUS and gives it a strong advantage over global exchanges in the Vietnamese market.
ONUS Chain
ONUS has built its own Layer 1 blockchain — ONUS Chain — designed specifically for the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian market. The chain supports fast, low-cost transactions and is used as the settlement layer for VNDC transfers, ONUS token staking, and an expanding DeFi ecosystem. This vertical integration gives ONUS control over the full user journey from fiat on-ramp to on-chain activity.
VND Fiat On-Ramp
One of ONUS's most critical advantages is its seamless Vietnamese Dong on-ramp. Users can deposit VND directly from Vietnamese bank accounts and convert to crypto within minutes — a pain point that prevents many Vietnamese users from accessing global exchanges. This local banking integration is central to ONUS's dominance in the Vietnamese retail market.
Fee Structure
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Spot limit order | 0.02% |
| Spot market order | 0.04% |
| Futures trading | Maker / Taker (varies by tier) |
| VND deposit | Free (bank transfer) |
| Crypto withdrawal | Network fee (chain-dependent) |
| VNDC staking yield | Up to 12% APY |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 7M+ users — largest Vietnamese retail crypto platform
- Seamless VND fiat on/off-ramp
- 600+ trading pairs including trending tokens
- Low spot fees: 0.02%/0.04%
- Integrated VNDC savings (up to 12% APY)
- VASP licensed in Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania
- Own blockchain (ONUS Chain) for lower costs
- Vietnamese-language interface and support
Cons
- Lower global liquidity vs Binance/OKX
- Not formally regulated in Vietnam (no MoF licence)
- ONUS Chain ecosystem still maturing
- Futures leverage risk for retail users
- Limited fiat support outside Vietnam
- Yield rates subject to change
Summary
ONUS has established itself as the dominant crypto platform for Vietnamese retail investors by solving the key friction points that keep Vietnamese users away from global exchanges: local fiat support, Vietnamese-language interface, and locally relevant savings products via VNDC. With 7 million users, 600+ trading pairs, and a proprietary blockchain, ONUS is far more than a simple exchange — it is the financial super-app for Vietnam's crypto generation.
For international users, ONUS offers competitive fees and a broad token selection, but liquidity in major pairs still trails the global giants. For Vietnamese users specifically, however, ONUS represents the most seamless and feature-rich crypto experience available in the market today.